3 Hills I will die on as a Physiotherapist! 

As many reading this are probably aware by now - there is a surplus of information going around the health and fitness space when it comes to what works best and what everybody should be aiming for if their goal is health and fitness. Unfortunately this space has become saturated with a surplus of misinformation and it is getting harder and harder to decipher which advice is helpful or hindering when you aren’t well versed on said topics! In this article I will focus on some elements of pain and injury that I feel could be better understood by the general public for better outcomes!

Discs don’t slip!

This is something I hear time and time again - both in clinic and out and about, the common misconception that your recent MRI reports a slipped disc. The reality here is discs do not slip - the biological make up of these structures in your spine are a lot more robust than you might think. Your spine is not “broken” and I will bet money that your MRI report doesn’t mention the word “slip”. Back pain is difficult and I can fully empathise with anyone struggling with this - but sometimes understanding this concept can be half the battle! Our belief system can help better shape our prognosis as we better understand how strong and capable our body truly is!

A rub probably won’t fix your problem!

I say this not to ruffle feathers - but to hopefully empower you to understand the control you have in managing many symptoms yourself. The majority of injuries will often require some form of physiotherapy input to ensure sinister pathology isn’t missed and that an appropriate rehab plan is put in place. While your first thoughts may be a rub or a deep tissue massage - the most important treatment behind each injury is more times than not - centred around education and an appropriate rehab program that targets the affected tissues/structures. While a rub may feel great short term or work fine as an adjunct in some very acute cases - it isn’t going to elicit the long term effects you desire. What your body really wants is gradual exposure to movement and load to better target tissues/structures that haven’t yet built the capacity to tolerate it! 

Pain doesn’t always mean damage!

While it may seem this way - pain does not always highlight damage. Pain acts the body’s alarm system when it senses something isn’t right. And just like many alarms you may have heard in the past - this can often be a false alarm, or simply pointing to an issue that needs addressing. This also works similar to a check engine light in your car - sometimes this light highlights a problem that disappears as soon as you fix it - or maybe this pain presents similar to that check engine light that won’t seem to disappear no matter what you do. While the check engine light stays on - the car still drives fine. This can be similar to pain - structurally there may be nothing wrong but there has been an overloading somewhere in the system with variables like poor sleep, high stress and other factors in the mix, it becomes a perfect storm! The first step is trying to relax and hit the reset button!

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Lastly, I would also like to clarify that I am not a registered dietician. All advice disclosed here is simply advisory based on my qualifications as a fitness professional and personal experience and knowledge gained working with individuals and helping them reach their goals. The advice given is not designed to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem - nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician. Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health. 

I hope someone out there found some of this information useful here, just some food for thought. For any questions in relation to this topic or training, nutrition, etc. or for coaching inquiries simply message me on my business page on instagram @coachedbycashel_ or by email - contact@coachedbycashel.com